What All Beginning ESL Teachers Need to Know

If you are just starting out teaching English as a second language, you may have some ideas about what it will be like. Though many may be true, some misconceptions often show up on the list of what we think we know. Take a look at this list of what might not be exactly true about teaching ESL to make sure your expectations are on target.

You do not have to have a budget with lots of zeros to have everything you need for your ESL class. Take a look at these resources you may not have realized already have just waiting for you to use them in the ESL classroom. You and your students will find helpful resources that are already at your fingertips.

Setting up a classroom for the first time can be intimidating. Not only do you have to make it look good, you have to make sure you have all the materials you and your students will need on hand. Here are some books that you will want to make sure are holding a place on your shelf. They are sure to come in more than handy as you go through this year’s lessons.

Some days doing the same types of lessons just will not cut it. For those times, here are some methods you can use to keep your class both interesting and interested and still learn English in the process.

Every good teacher knows that no matter how carefully you plan your classes, sometimes you have a few minutes you need to fill before the bell rings. Keep these ideas in your back pocket, and you will be ready for that next what am I going to do now moment.

Teaching is not an easy profession, and even great teachers do not get the recognition that they should. Here are some things you should be sure to know before you enter the classroom the first time. You may find that you will want to keep in your pocket for those times you need a boost as well.

You know the internet is ripe with material and resources for the ESL teacher, but you just do not know where to look. These websites will get you started in mining all the gems the world wide web has to offer you and your ESL students. Your next lesson plan may just be one click away.

One of the tasks of teaching most teachers like least is assessment. Writing tests and measuring language abilities can be boring and frustrating, and your students rarely appreciate it. Here are some ideas for assessing your students that both you and they may find a little more practical or engaging along with some of the standard go to’s.

Every teacher knows that your students will only get out of class what they put into it, but sometimes it helps when you can give your students a reason to try their hardest. These ideas will get you motivated to motivate your students and see the positive results that are sure to come.

It is bound to happen at some point or another – you have a student in your class that just does not want to engage. When you are not sure what else you can do to draw a difficult student in, look here for some practical tips that just might do the trick.

Just one of the elements that makes an ESL class different from other subject areas is the diversity of your students. One class may have members who hail from all over the world. When this is the case, culture becomes an ever-present topic that the teacher needs to address. Here are some ideas to integrate culture into your classroom.

At some point, every teacher has been a beginning teacher.

What is your best advice for those who are just starting out? What are the questions you have now that you do not have an answer to? Share them in the comments below.

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